Fed: Democrats founder Don Chipp dead = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2006
Fed: Democrats founder Don Chipp dead = 2

Mr Chipp announced he was suffering from Parkinson's Disease in March 2004, saying
he chose to make the diagnosis public to draw attention to the need for extra resources
to help sufferers and fund research.

He also survived a bout of pneumonia in June last year after spending a period on life support.

He spent weeks recovering at Melbourne's Epworth Hospital, where it's reported (Eds:
The Australian) that he died yesterday.

Mr Chipp was preselected for the Liberal Party for the eastern Melbourne seat of Higinbotham
in 1960 and served under prime ministers Robert Menzies, Harold Holt, John Gorton, William
McMahon and Malcolm Fraser.

He was appointed Minister for the Navy in 1966, then served as Minister for Customs
and Excise from 1969 to 1972.

He was dropped from the ministry in the Fraser government and became frustrated with
party politics.

Mr Chipp resigned from the Liberals in March 1977 and founded the Democrats, successfully
winning a Senate seat at the election in December 1977.

He led the party until he retired in 1986.

He is survived by his wife Idun Welz, who he married in 1979, their two daughters,
Juliet and Laura, and four children from a previous marriage.

AAP jrd/jlw/

KEYWORD: CHIPP LEAD 2 MELBOURNE

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